Connecting device for switch-boards



(No Model.)

B. W. SMITH.

CONNECTING DEVIGE FOR SWITCH BOARDS No. 818,929. Patented May 26, 1885.

NITED States Patent rricn.

ELIPHALET W. SMITH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR SWITCH-BOARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,929, dated May 26,1885.

Application filed September 10, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIPHALET W. SMITH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New ark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices for Switch-Boards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for making electrical contact in switchboards; and its object is to secure a more perfect contact, as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The invention consists in the device substantially as illustrated in the drawings, described hereinafter, and finally embodied in the clauses of claim.

In said drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are front elevations of several forms of contact devices constructed according to my invention. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of Fig. 1 in engagement with a bar and plate, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

The contact device or clasping conductor herein described is adapted to be used more especially in those switch-boards in which connecting bars and plates are arranged above and across each other, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and also as shown in a previous application filed April 1, 1884, Serial No. 126,357.

As shown in the several figures of the drawings, the conductor consists of a suitable handle, at, having attached thereto metallic legs I), which are in all the devices bent in toward each other and adapted to be pressed over and around a bar, as in Fig. 4.

One essential feature of the conductor arising from the peculiar form of the legs is, that when pressed over the bar and down upon the subtending plate B, a portion of the ends of the legs which are turned in toward each (No-model.)

other is brought between the plate and the under side of the bar, and by the spring action of the metal presses upward against the bar and downward upon the plate, thus insuring a perfect contact between the said bar and plate.

In Fig. 1 the legs are bent inward and upward, forming the baropening 0 between, the portion d of each leg, when placed upon the bar, being between said bar and the plate, as described above, and as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 2 the legs are curved, formingthe bar-opening c, then turned toward each other in a double curve, as indicated, the said double curve e in each leg furnishing the pressure contact between the bar and plate.

Fig. 3 shows the legs turned inward and over, forming rings f, which when the device is arranged over the bar fallbetween the bar and plate, as in the cases above noted.

It will be observed that the spring metallic legs are made of broadened bands or strips,

' in order that the contact devices will not turn on the bars, but will remain upright when placed thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A contact device having asuitable handle and broadened spring-bands secured thereto, the lower ends of said bands being turned in toward each other, and adapted to be used substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A clasping conductor having a suitable handle and broadened metallic plates secured thereto, the ends of said plates being turned in toward each other and upward toward the handle, forming a bar-opening therebetween, and adapted to be used substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of September, 1884.

ELIPHALET WV. SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. F. CAMPBELL, CHARLES H. PELL. 

